Harness manufacturing apparatus incorporating harness testing means

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for inserting wires into the wire-receiving portions of contact terminals which are contained in a multi-contact electrical connector has a panel-like member upon which the connector is mounted and which serves to locate the connector in the apparatus during wire insertion. The panel-like member is readily removable from the apparatus so that it can be replaced by another panel-like member which is dimensioned to support a different size connector in the apparatus. In one preferred embodiment, the panel-like member is a printed circuit board which has conductors which contact the terminals in the connector being wired. These PC board conductors are connected to further conductors which extend to an electrical testing apparatus so that the connector can be electrically tested in situ.

United States Patent 1 Long et al.

[73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

[22] Filed: Apr. 8, 1974 [2]] App]. No.: 459,155

[52] US. Cl. 29/203 MW; 29/203 HT [51] Int. Cl H01r 43/00 [58] Field ofSearch... 29/203 MW, 203 P, 203 HT,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,758,935 9/[973 Long et al.29/203 MW 3,8l6,897 6/!974 Long 29/203 P 51 May 27, 1975 PrimaryExaminerThomas I-I. Eager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-F. W. Rating; J. L.Seitchik; W. .l. Keating [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for inserting wiresinto the wire-receiving portions of contact terminals which arecontained in a multi-contact electrical connector has a panel-likemember upon which the connector is mounted and which serves to locatethe connector in the apparatus during wire insertion. The panel-likemember is readily removable from the apparatus so that it can bereplaced by another panel-like member which is dimensioned to support adifferent size connector in the apparatus. In one preferred embodiment,the panellike member is a printed circuit board which has conductorswhich contact the terminals in the connector being wired. These PC boardconductors are con nected to further conductors which extend to anelectrical testing apparatus so that the connector can be electricallytested in situ.

18 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENTEW 3,885,287

SHEET EBUF 12 PATENTEU W27 I975 3. 88 5 2 8T SHEET GSUF 12 PATENTED3,885,287

SHEET CBUF 12 PATENTED W27 9 5 SHEET D7DF 12 PATENTEU 975 SHEET CBUF 12PA'RTENTED 3.885.287

SHEET CBBF12 PATENTED HAYZYISTS 3 885,287

SHEET 11 0F 12 1 HARNESS MANUFACTURING APPARATUS INCORPORATING HARNESSTESTING MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to anapparatus of the general type disclosed in application Ser. No. 347,965,now US. Pat. No. 3,845,535, for connecting wires to the terminals in anelectrical connector. The instant invention is also related toapplications Ser. No. 347.956 and 347,957 as will be more fullyexplained below.

Application Ser. No. 347,965, now US. Pat. No. 3,845,535, discloses andclaims an apparatus for trimming the ends of wires and inserting thetrimmed ends into the electrical contact terminals in a multi-contactelectrical connector. One distinguishing feature of some embodiments ofthe apparatus disclosed in application Ser. No. 347,965, now US. Pat.No. 3,845,535, is that the portion of the apparatus which holds theconnector is separate from the portion which inserts the wires into theterminals in the connector, the later part of the apparatus hving meansto permit its being mounted on the former. This feature of my priorapparatus particularly adapts it for having in a harness making methodand apparatus is disclosed in application Ser. No. 347,957 which teachesthat a completed harness can be manufactured by lacing wires over aharness board in accordance with the wiring plan of the harness in amanner such that portions of the wires extend adjacent to connectorscontained in the apparatus of application Ser. No. 347,965.When thewires are inserted by the apparatus into the terminals in the connectorthe harness is substantially completed and can be removed from theharness board and, after testing,

put to use.

The instant invention is directed to an improved apparatus having ameans, which may be in the form of a printed circuit board, for holdingthe connector to which wires are to be connected. This featurefacilitates the use of the prior apparatus and permits it to accommodateconnectors of different sizes by merely changing the printed circuitboard thereby increasing its usefulness. In accordance with a furtheraspect of the instant invention, the printed circuit board upon whichthe connector is mounted has conductors thereon that engage the contactterminals in the connector being wired. These printed circuit boardconductors are, in turn, connected to wires which extend to, and form apart of, an electrical testing means so that the connector can beelectrically tested and immediately after the wires have been connectedthereto. This capability of the instant invention in turn permits thetesting, at the time of manufacture, of a completed electrical harnessas will be described below.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improvedapparatus for inserting conductors into terminals in a multi-contactelectrical connector. A further object is to provide a conductorinserting apparatus having improved means for holding the electricalconnector to which the conductors are to be connected. A still furtherobject is to provide a conductor inserting apparatus having means forelectrically testing the connector after the conductors have beeninserted into the terminals in the connector. A still further object isto provide a harness making method and apparatus having means fortesting the entire harness immediately after the manufacture thereof andwhile the harness is mounted on a harness board.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved in preferredembodiments thereof which are briefly described in the foregoingabstract, which are described in detail below, and which are shown inaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view ofa preferred form of apparatus inaccordance with the invention showing the insertion or upper toolingremoved and exploded from the fixed lower tooling, showing the fixedtooling in its open condition, and showing a connector exploded from thefixed tooling.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the parts in fullyassembled relationship immediately prior to insertion of the wires intothe terminals.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the fixed tooling portion of the apparatusshowing the parts in their opened condition.

FIG. 4 is sectional sideview showing the positions of the parts afterinsertion of the conductors into the ter minals in the connector.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a fixed tooling taken along lines 55 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the pivoted carrier framein its open position with the wire positioning jigs removed from thefixed tooling.

FIG. 7 is a view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an alternative form of printed circuit boardwhich serves as a holding and locating means for the connector to whichwires are to be connected.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the lower or fixed tool ing frame andthe fixed tooling carrier arm with the parts exploded from each other.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the carrier arm with a printed circuitboard exploded therefrom, this view showing the orientation of thecarrier while the printed circuit board is being assembled thereto.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the carrier arm having a printedcircuit board assembled thereto, this view showing the orientation ofthe arm when it is in its closed position relative to the fixed toolingframe.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a harness board having a plurality ofconductor inserting apparatus mounted thereon, this view showing thepositions of the parts after wires have been laced over the board andbetween and among the several wire inserting tools.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the underside of the harness board showingfeatures of the harness testing means.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a multi-contact electrical connector ofa type for which the instant disclosed embodiment is intended.

FIG. 15 is a view taken along the lines l5l5 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15 but showing a wire connected to theterminal.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a relatively simple electrical harness.

By way of background information for the description of the instantinvention, FIGS. l4I7 show features of a connector 2 which is adapted tobe used in the disclosed embodiment of the invention and an electricalharness I which can be manufactured and tested in accordance with theprinciples of the invention. The harness I comprises a plurality ofelectrical connectors 2 each of which contains electrical contactterminals to which conductors 6 are connected. ,The conductors extendbetween and among the connectors in accordance with a predeterminedwiring plan so that when the harness connectors 2 are attached tocomplementary connectors in an electrical apparatus, the motors,switches, control devices, etc. of the apparatus will be interconnected.The harness shown in FIG. 17 has suitable wrapping material 8 wound overthe conductors as is common practice in the harness making art.

Each connector 2 (FIGS. 14-16) comprises an insulating housing I havinga mating face 12 and a rearward face 14. The housing has an uppersurface 18 (as viewed in the drawing) and a lower surface 20 and endsurfaces 22. A plurality of contact receiving cavities extend throughthe housing and each cavity contains an electrical contact terminal 4.

Each terminal 4 has an elongated web 24 from the forward end of whichreversely bent contact arms 26 extend for engagement with conductors ona printed circuit board. At its rearward end, each terminal hassidewalls 28 which are bent inwardly towards each other to define anopen seam 30 which serves as a wire receiving slot. Advantageously, thesidewalls are partially transversely sheared on each side of the seam30, these shear lines extending to punched holes 34 to preventperpetration of cracks at the ends of the shear lines. As shown in FIG.16, after a wire has been connected to the terminal, it will be receivedbetween the edges of the slot 30 and the edges penetrate the insulationof the wire and establish contact with the conducting core. The wire 6extends laterally from the connector through an opening in the uppersurface 18 which communicates with cavity in which the terminal iscontained. A back cover 35 is advantageously fitted over each connectorand serves as a strain relief for the wires as described in detail inthe above-identified application Ser. No. 347,956.

A preferred form of inserting apparatus in accordance with the invention(FIGS. 1 and 2) comprises a fixed base section 38, which is mounted on aharness board 42, and an actuator or insertor which can be affixed tothe base section 38 when the operation of inserting the wires into theterminals 4 in the connector is being carried out. Before proceedingwith a detailed description of the structural details of this apparatus,it should be explained that when a harness is manufac tured, a pluralityof base sections 36 are mounted on a harness board 42 (FIG. 12).Connectors 2 are mounted in each base section 38 and wires are lacedover the board and between connectors. After the wire lacing operationhas been completed, the actuator 40 is assembled to each of the basesections in turn and the wires are trimmed and inserted into theterminals in the connectors.

The fixed base section 38 comprises a frame 44 hav' ing a central body46 (FIG. 9) on which there is provided an upstanding transverselyextending integral rib 48 of rectangular cross-section. Feet 50 extendrearwardly as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 9 from the central body and aresecured to the upper surface 174 of the harness board by suitablefasteners 52. The central and forward portions of the base sectionoverhand, and extend into, an opening 178 in the harness board forreasons which will be explained below.

A rear wire jig or comb 54 is mounted on transverse rib 48 and comprisesan elongated bar 56 which is disposed against the rightwardly facingside of rib 48 as shown best in FIG. 9. A plurality of spaced apartbarriers 58 are provided on the upper surface of the bar 56 and extendleftwardly as viewed in FIG. 4 over and beyond the upper surface of therib 48 of the frame.

The forwardly extending portions of these barriers (which are on theleft in FIG. 4) are relatively more 5 thick than the end portions 62 asshown in FIG. 5 so that the space between the forward portions of thebarriers is somewhat more narrow than the space between adjacentbarriers at the rearward ends thereof. Advantageously, the spacingbetween adjacent barriers 58 is such that when two wires are locatedbetween two adjacent barriers, one wire will be above the other so thatthe two wires will be guided into the associated contact terminal as isalso described below. It will be noted that the barriers are notched asshown at 60 adjacent to rearward ends 62 thereof. This notch facilitatesremoval of scrap wire from the comb or jig after a wire insertingoperation has been carried out.

The wires are trimmed concomitantly with insertion into the terminals bymeans of a fixed shear bar 66 which has a generally rectangularcross-section and which has upwardly extending cars 68 at its ends,these ears being disposed against the end barriers 58 of the wire jig54. Fixed shear 66 is secured against the leftwardly facing side, asviewed in FIG. 4, of the rib 48 and the leftwardly facing surface of theshear member is undercut as shown in 70 to define a fixed shearing edge72 which extends parallel to, and is immediately beneath, the ends ofthe barriers 58. This fixed shear member cooperates with a movableshearing means mounted on the insertion tooling to cut the wires as willbe later described. It is preferred practice to locate the fixed shearsuch that the wire enters the upper portion of the terminal beforecutting of the wire is completed to ensure accurate placement of thewire.

A spacer block 74 having a rectangular cross-section is mounted againstthe leftwardly facing surface 49 of rib 48 immediately beneath the fixedshear 66. As will be apparent from FIG. 4, when the parts are in thepositions that occupy during a wire inserting operation, the surface 18of the housing of the connector is located against this spacer block 74.Since the connector must be precisely located with reference to the wireinsertion tooling, the location of spacer 74 is important or evencritical for best results. The shear bar 66 must also be preciselylocated so that the wires will be cut at the desired locations.Advantageously, the spacer 74 and the shear bar 66 are both secured tothe rib 48 by means of set screws which permit these members to be movedleftwardly under very precisely controlled conditions from the positionsshown in FIG. 4.

The frame 44 has a pair of depending arms 76 on its lefhand end whichextend into the opening 178 in the harness board and the lower ends 78of these arms extend rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 4 so that they aresubstantially beneath the insertion tooling. A carrier frame 80 ispivoted on these arms in a manner described below and comprises atransversely extending bar 82 having integral latch housing blocks 84 onits ends. A pair of depending arms 86 extend downwardly from the bar 82and are locating inwardly from the latch housing blocks 84, the lowerends of the arms 88 being outwardly offset and extending rightwardly asviewed in FIG. 4. The lower end portions 88 of the arms 86 are providedwith integral bosses 89 which are disposed against the rightwardlyportions 78 of the depending arms 76 of the static section of the frame.The carrier frame 80 is pivotally connected to the end portion 78 of thestatic portion of the frame by pivot pins 90 as shown so that thecarrier frame can be swung along a counterclockwise arc from theposition shown in FIG. 4.

The inwardly or opposed surfaces 92 of the bosses 89 are counterbored at94 and slots 96 extend from these counterbores radially to the ends ofthe arms. These counter bores receive laterally extending ears 100 onthe side edges of a printed circuit board 98 as shown in FIG. 7. Theprinted circuit board thus is located be tween the depending arms 86 ofthe carrier frame 80 and lies in a plane which is between the transversebar 82 of the carrier frame and the central body portion of the fixedframe 44. The widths of the ears 100 are slightly less than the diameterof the counterbores so that the printed circuit can be swung about anaxis extending between the centers of the counterbores. The slots 96 areprovided to permit removal of the printed circuit board as will bedescribed at a more appropriate time. It will also be noted that theprinted circuit board has parallel conductors 102 on its surface andthese conductors are used during testing as is also described below. Theconnector 2, to which wires are to be connected is simply mounted on theupper end of the printed circuit board 102 so that the board serves as amounting means for the connector during operation.

A front wire jig or comb 104 is mounted on the transverse bar 82 of thecarrier frame 80. This front wire jig comprises a generallychannel-shaped member having a central web 106, and depending flanges108, 110. On its upper surface, there are provided a plurality of spacedapart barriers 112 which have the appearance of trunkcated triangles butwhich may be rectangular if desired. These barriers are spaced apart bydistances corresponding to the spacing between the barriers on the rearwire jig 54 so that wires placed between aligned barriers in thetwo-wire jigs will be located above the terminals contained in theconnector in FIG. 4. The wire jig 104 is secured to the rib or bar 82 bysuitable fasteners with the web against the upper surface of the bar anddepending flanges 108, 110 straddling the bar 82.

Latching means are provided for latching the carrier frame 80 in itsclosed position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, this latching meanscomprising latch levers 114 which are pivotally mounted in slots 116 onthe downwardly facing sides of the latch housings 84 on the ends of thetransverse bar 82 of the carrier frame 80. The forward ends of thelevers are hooked as shown at 119 and are adapted to engage latch dogs120 mounted in recesses on the upwardly facing surfaces of the framemember 44. The levers 114 are resiliently biased in a clockwisedirection as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4 by springs 122 which are containedin recesses in the housing blocks 84 and which bear against the latcharms adjacent to the hooked ends thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an additional latch dog 124 is provided whichextends horizontally from one of the depending arms 76 of the fixedframe 44. This horizontally extending latch dog comprises a stampedplate-like member and prevents the carrier frame 80 from swinging in acounterclockwise direction beyond the position shown in FIG. 3. Thelatch arm 114 which engages the fixed latch dog 124 can be disengagedfrom the dog when it is desired to swing the carrier frame through afurther counterclockwise arc to change the printed circuit board 78.

It should be explained at this point that the fixed or lower tooling isloaded with a connector 2 by opening the carrier frame to the positionof FIG. 3. The printed circuit board 98 is swung through a slightcounterclockwise are so that it is directed obliquely upwardly betweenthe carrier frame 80 and the central portion of the fixed frame 54. Aconnector 2 is then mounted on the upper end of the printed circuitboard 102 and the carrier frame is then swung through a clockwise arc toits closed position and the latch arms 114 engage the latch dogs 120.The printed circuit board is precisely centered when the parts are intheir closed positions by positioning blocks 126 which are mountedagainst the opposed surfaces of the frame 44 adjacent to the centralportion thereof. The edges of the printed circuit board move over thesepositioning blocks 126 and the board is thereby precisely centered andthe connector will also be precisely centered with its contact terminalsin alignment with the spaces between barriers in the wire jigs and inalignment with the insertion punches 160 in the insertion toolingdescribed below.

The actuator or movable tooling member 40 is mounted on the frame 44 bymeans of channels 128 which have inwardly directed cylindrical housings134 and laterally extending arms 133 on their sidewalls. These mountingchannels are secured in notches 130 in the oppositely facing sides ofthe central portion of the frame by fasteners 132 which extend throughthe mounting arms 133 in the channels and into the frame. The mountingmeans for the upper tooling comprises, in each channel, a pin 136 iscontained in the housing 134 and which extends through an opening in theweb of the channel, pin 136 has a reduced diameter end portion whichextends through a central opening in the end wall of the cylindricalhousing 134 on the channel. A spring 140 is interposed between the endwall of housing 134 and a shoulder on the pin. This spring normallybiases the pins outwardly through the web but these pins can be movedinwardly against the compression of the springs 140 by suitable handles142 provided on the ends of the pins 136.

The upper portion 40 of the tooling is mounted on the lower toolingassembly 38 by merely locating the upper tooling above the lower toolingas shown in FIG. 1 and moving the lowering the upper tooling in theposition of FIG. 2 so that the legs 144 move into the channels 128 andcam pins 136 inwardly. The pins then move through the webs of thechannels and into openings 146 on the lower ends of the mounting arms144. The upper tooling is removed by retracing the pins by means of thehandles 142.

The upper tooling comprises a housing 146 having a cover plate 148 inwhich a slide member 150 is contained and guided. Slide 150 has aninsertion tool holder 152 secured to and extending across, its lower endand a channel 154 is provided in this tool holder in which the inserter158 is mounted. The rightwardly facing flange as viewed in FIG. 4 on thelower end of tool holder 152 provides a shearing edge 156 which, duringdescent of the slide, moves past the fixed shearing edge 72 to shear thewires which have previously been positioned in the wire jigs 54. Theinserter 158 has a series of pairs of depending inserting punches 160and 162 which are so dimensioned that they will push the trimmed wireinto the terminal with which they are associated as shown in FIG. 4. Theleft hand flange 157 of the tool holder 152 cooperates in this wireinserting step so that after the slide 150 has reached the lower mostlimit of its travel, the wire will be located in the slot of theassociated terminal.

The slide 150 is resiliently biased upwardly by suitable spring means(not specifically shown) and is moved downwardly on by a cam 166 whichis mounted on a pin 164 which is supported in extending bearing portions162 of the housing 146. A handle 168 is supported on the pin 164 and issecured to the cam 166 by a pin 167 so that if the handle 168 is swungthrough a counterclockwise arc from the position of FIG. 4, thecontoured surface of the cam will engage a cam follower 170. This camfollower is mounted in the upper end of the slide 150 so that the slideand the inserter, which is carried thereon, will be moved to its loweredposition. it is desirable to provide auxiliary means for lifting theslide from its lowered position and to this end, I provide crescentshaped lifts 172 on each side of the cam 166. These lifts are socontoured that they will engage pins on the cam 166 and lift the slidewhen the handle 168 is returned to the position shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 shows the upper surface 174 of a harness board on which fourlower tooling assembles 38 have been mounted adjacent to openings 178 inthe harness board. A harness board so arranged might be used to produceextremely simple harness as shown in FIG. 14. To produce such harness,each of the lower tooling assemblies are loaded with a connector 2 andthe tooling assemblies are closed as described above, that is thecarrier 80 is swung to its closed position (FIG. 4) and latched. Wire orwires are then laced over the harness board between suitable guide andretaining pegs 175 between and among the several tooling assemblies inaccordance with the desired wiring plan. The wire is not cut at thefixed tooling assemblies 38 but is laced in and out" through eachassembly. In other words, the wire enters an assembly adjacent to theboard openg 178, is laced between aligned barriers 112, 58 in the wirejigs 104, 54 and then is reversed and laid between another pair ofaligned barriers in the same assembly. Thereafter, it is laid on theboard along a path extending to another pre-determined lower tooling assembly 38 and the process is repeated. Ocassionally, it may be necessaryto cut a wire at a tooling assembly and start anew as explained in theabove identified application Ser. No. 347,957. The wire for the lacingoperation may be drawn from an endless source such as a reel.

After the wires have been laced over the board. the upper toolingassembly 40 is assembled to each of the four lower tooling assemblies 38in turn and the handle 168 is swung to cut the wires and insert the cutends into the terminals in the connectors 2. The cutting operation willresult in the production of loops of scrap wire adjacent to the rearwardwire jigs 54 and these can be removed by passing a thin awl-like toolthrough the notches between the barriers 62, 58. After the upper toolingassembly has been assembled to all of the lower tooling assemblies andthe wires have been cut and inserted into the terminals in theconnectors 2, the barness will have been completed and testing of thebarness can be carried out as described immediately below.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the underside 176 of the wiring board has atesting harness 182 supported or suspended thereon comprising wires 186which extend from suitable testing circuits which may include indicatorlights in a housing 190 which may be located remote from the undersideof the board for maximum operator convenience. The wires 186 extend toconnectors 184 which may be identical to the previously identifiedconnectors 2. The contact terminals in the con nectors 184, engage theconductors 102 on the printed circuit boards and, since these conductorsextend to and contact the terminals in the connectors 2 on the uppersurface of the board which are now part of the completed harness. theharness can be tested by merely energizing the testing circuits in thehousing 190. Any opens or misplaced wires in the harness can be readilydetected during this very brief testing procedure and the harness can berepaired or reworked in a very brief time. The practice of the inventionthus eliminates the need for a time-consuming and costly finalelectrical test which is usually made by plugging the connectors of theharness with connectors or printed circuit boards of the testingapparatus.

It is desirable to have the capability in the apparatus to accommodatevarying sizes of connectors, that is connectors having different numbersof contact terminals therein. If, for example, it is desired to connectwires to a relatively smaller connector 2A (FIG. 8) then the connectorspreviously described, it is merely necessary to remove the printedcircuit board 102 from the apparatus and substitute a printed circuitboard 102 which has a tongue 180 extending from its upper edge as viewedin FIG. 8. This tongue is dimensioned to fit into the mating face of theconnector 2A and to center and support it in the tool or apparatus inthe manner previously described. It will thus be apparent that theapparatus can be modified to accept varying sizes of connectors bysimply changing the printed circuit board.

The board is changed by simply opening the carrier frame until itsaccurate movement is stopped by the latch dog 124. The lever 114 whichengages this latch dog is then depressed so that disengagement fromlatch dog 124 takes place and the carrier is swung through a furthercounterclockwise arc until the slots 96 extend vertically upwardly. Theprinted circuit board 98 is then swung normally of its own plane untilthe ears are in alignment with the slots 96. The board can then be movedupwardly with the ears biasing through the slots and the printed circuitboard 980 can be similarly assembled to the carrier.

The invention presents several salient features and advantages which maybe employed with beneficial re sults individually or in combination witheach other in the harness making art and in processes where wires aresimply being connected to the terminals in a single connector. Forexample, the printed circuit board 98 serves as a support for theconnector to which wires are being connected and can be replaced toaccommodate different sizes of connectors as noted above. Under somecircumstances, it may not be required that the electrical connections betested at the time the wires are inserted into the terminals and undersuch circumstances, the panel-like member can be in the form of a simpleboard which has supporting means for the connector. This feature of theinvention may be used in a wire inserting apparatus which is notspecifically intended for use in the harness making art but it is usedonly to connect wires in a cable to the terminals in a connector.

Under other circumstances, it may be desirable to test the connectorelectrically even though the apparatus is not being used for harnessmaking as described above. It will be apparent that such electricaltests can be conducted by the practice of the invention where individualwires are being connected to terminals in a connector and the wires arenot part of an electrical harness as disclosed herein.

Finally, the testing procedure disclosed herein may be used with othertypes of connectors such as connectors of the type disclosed in US. Pat.No. 3,760,335. To carry out such electrical tests, the connector towhich wires are being connected would be mated with a complementaryconnector would have wires extending from its terminals to a testapparatus as explained above. Such in situ electrical testing can becarried out with wire inserting apparatus of types other than that shownin the instant application, for example, wire inserting apparatus of thetype shown in US. Pat. No. 3,758,935 and 3,766,622.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for inserting conductors into the conductor-receivingportions of electrical contact terminals which are contained in anelectrical connector, said connector being mateable with a complementaryconnecting device, said apparatus comprising:

frame means,

connector holding means on said frame means for holding said connectorin a predetermined position, said connector holding means comprising acomplementary connecting device removably mounted on said frame means,

conductor holding means for holding conductors adjacent to, and inalignment with, said conductor receiving portions preparatory toinserting of said conductors into said conductor-receiving portions,conductor insertion means for moving conductors in said conductorholding means from said conductor holding means into said conductorreceiving portions of a connector mounted on said connector holdingmeans whereby, upon mounting a connector on said connector holdingmeans, locating conductors in said conductor holding means,-andactuating said conductor insertion means, said conductors are insertedinto said conductorreceiving portions of said terminals in saidconnector, said apparatus being adaptable to use with connectors ofvarying sizes upon removal of said complementary connecting devicetherefrom and replacement thereof with a different complementaryconnecting device.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said complementary connectingdevice comprising a panel-like member having the dimensions of a printedcircuit board, said apparatus being intended for use with a printedcircuit board connector which is mateable with said panel-like member.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said panel-like member comprisinga printed circuit board.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said printed circuit board havingprinted circuit conductors thereon which are engageable with saidcontact terminals in said connector, said apparatus including electricaltesting means for testing connections between said wires and saidterminals, said printed circuit conductors extending to said testingmeans.

5. Apparatus for inserting conductors into the conductor-receivingportions of electrical contact terminals which are contained in anelectrical connector, said contact terminals having contact portions,said connector being mateable with a complementary connecting devicehaving complementary contact portions which are engageable with saidcontact portions, said apparatus comprising;

frame means, connector holding means on said frame means for holdingsaid connector in a predetermined position, said connector holding meanscomprising a complementary connecting device whereby, upon mounting saidconnector on said holding means, said contact portions of said connectorare engaged with said complementary contact portions,

conductor holding means on said frame means for holding conductorsadjacent to, and in alignment with, said conductor receiving portions ofa connector mounted on said connector holding means preparatory toinserting said conductors into said conductor-receiving portions,

conductor insertion means for moving conductos in said conductor holdingmeans from said conductor holding means into said conductor receivingportions of a connector mounted on said connector holding means, and

test circuit means comprising test circuitry for testing electricalconnections, and conductors extending from said test circuitry to saidcomplementary contact portions on said complementary connecting devicewhereby, upon mounting a connector on said connector holding means,locating conductors in said conductor holding means, actuating saidconductor insertion means to insert said conductors into said conductorreceiving portions of said terminals in said connector, and energizingsaid test circuit means, the electrical connections between saidconductors and said conductor-receiving means are tested in situ.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 said connector being of the typeadapted to be coupled to a panel-like member such as a printed circuitboard, said complementary connecting device comprising a printed circuitboard.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said printed circuit board havingprinted circuit conductors thereon, said printed circuit conductorshaving contact portions which constitute said complementary contactportions.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, said conductor holding meanscomprising wire comb means on said frame means.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, said frame means comprising astatic frame member and a carrier arm pivotally mounted on said staticframe member, said printed circuit board being supported on said carrierarm.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, said frame means comprising astatic frame member and a carrier arm pivotally mounted on said staticframe member, said conductor holding means comprising first and secondwire combs on said static frame member and said carrier arm, saidprinted circuit board being pivotally mounted on said frame means andextending between said carrier arm and said static frame member, saidcarrier arm being pivotally movable between open and closed positionsrelative to said static frame member to permit placement of saidconnector on said printed circuit board when said carrier arm is in saidopen position and location of said connector in alignment with saidinsertion means when said carrier arm is in said closed condition.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, said conductor insertion meansbeing removably mounted on said frame means.

12. Apparatus for inserting wires into the wirereceiving portions ofelectrical contact terminals which are contained in an electrialconnector and for testing said connectors after said wires are inserted,said wirereceiving portions being arranged in side-by-side relationshipin a row, said apparatus comprising:

frame means,

connector holding means on said frame means for holding said connectorin a predetermined position,

wire locating means on said frame means, said wire locating comprisingmeans for locating a plurality of wires in side-by-side parallelrelationship and in alignment with said wire-receiving portions ofcontact terminals in a connector mounted on said connector holdingmeans,

insertion tooling means for inserting wires contained in said wirelocating means into said wire receiving slots in said connectors,

contacting means on said frame means, said contacting means being inelectrical contact with said contact terminals in a connector mounted insaid holding means, and

test circuit means, said test circuit means being connected to saidcontacting means whereby,

upon insertion of wires into said wire-receiving portions of terminalsin a connector mounted on said connector holding means, the wiredconnector can be tested in situ.

13. Electrical harness manufacturing and testing apparatus formanufacturing and testing an electrical harness of the type comprising aplurality of electrical connectors having conductors extending betweenand among terminals contained in said connectors said apparatuscomprising:

a plurality of connector jigs for holding connectors in positions,relative to each other, which they will occupy in the finished harnesswhereby harness conductors can be connected to the terminals in saidconnectors in accordance with the wiring plan of said harness,

test circuit means comprising connecting means for removably connectingtest circuit conductors to the individual terminals in connectors insaid connector jigs whereby,

after said harness conductors have been connected to said terminals,said test circuit means can be energized to test said harness forconformity to said wiring plan.

14. Electrical harness manufacturing and testing apparatus formanufacturing and testing an electrical harness of the type comprising aplurality of electrical connectors and conductors extending between andamong said connectors, said connectors having a plurality of electricalcontact terminals therein, each of said termi nals having a conductorreceiving portion and a contact portion, said apparatus comprising;

supporting means,

a plurality jig members mounted on said supporting means at locationscorresponding to the locations of the connectors in the harness beingmanufactured, each of said jig members having connector holding meansand conductor holding and locating means for locating conductors inalignment with said conductor receiving portions of contact terminals ina connector mounted on said connector holding means,

said connector holding means comprising a complementary connectingdevice which is mateable with one of said connectors, said complementaryconnecting device having external conductors which are engageable withsaid contact portions of said terminals in one of said connectors, and

test circuit means for testing said harness, said external conductorscomprising part of said test circuit means whereby,

upon locating connectors on said connector holding means, locatingconductors in said conductor holding means, and moving said conductorsfrom said conductor holding means into said conductor-receiving portionsof said terminals, said harness is assembled, and upon thereafterenergizing said test circuit means, said harness is electrically tested.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, said supporting means comprisinga harness board.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said conductors in said harnesscomprising wires.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16, said conductor holding andlocating means comprising wire comb means for holding wires in parallelside-by-side relationship.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 each of said jig members havingmeans for mounting an insertion tool thereon of the type capable ofmoving conductors from said conductor holding means and into theconductorreceiving portions of terminals contained in a connector heldin said connector holding means.

1. Apparatus for inserting conductors into the conductorreceiving portions of electrical contact terminals which are contained in an electrical connector, said connector being mateable with a complementary connecting device, said apparatus comprising: frame means, connector holding means on said frame means for holding said connector in a predetermined position, said connector holding means comprising a complementary connecting device removably mounted on said frame means, conductor holding means for holding conductors adjacent to, and in alignment with, said conductor receiving portions preparatory to inserting of said conductors into said conductor-receiving portions, conductor insertion means for moving conductors in said conductor holding means from said conductor holding means into said conductor receiving portions of a connector mounted on said connector holding means whereby, upon mounting a connector on said connector holding means, locating conductors in said conductor holding means, and actuating said conductor insertion means, said conductors are inserted into said conductor-receiving portions of said terminals in said connector, said apparatus being adaptable to use with connectors of varying sizes upon removal of said complementary connecting device therefrom and replacement thereof with a different complementary connecting device.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said complementary connecting device comprising a panel-like member having the dimensions of a printed circuit board, said apparatus being intended for use with a printed circuit board connector which is mateable with said panel-like member.
 3. APparatus as set forth in claim 2, said panel-like member comprising a printed circuit board.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said printed circuit board having printed circuit conductors thereon which are engageable with said contact terminals in said connector, said apparatus including electrical testing means for testing connections between said wires and said terminals, said printed circuit conductors extending to said testing means.
 5. Apparatus for inserting conductors into the conductor-receiving portions of electrical contact terminals which are contained in an electrical connector, said contact terminals having contact portions, said connector being mateable with a complementary connecting device having complementary contact portions which are engageable with said contact portions, said apparatus comprising: frame means, connector holding means on said frame means for holding said connector in a predetermined position, said connector holding means comprising a complementary connecting device whereby, upon mounting said connector on said holding means, said contact portions of said connector are engaged with said complementary contact portions, conductor holding means on said frame means for holding conductors adjacent to, and in alignment with, said conductor receiving portions of a connector mounted on said connector holding means preparatory to inserting said conductors into said conductor-receiving portions, conductor insertion means for moving conductos in said conductor holding means from said conductor holding means into said conductor receiving portions of a connector mounted on said connector holding means, and test circuit means comprising test circuitry for testing electrical connections, and conductors extending from said test circuitry to said complementary contact portions on said complementary connecting device whereby, upon mounting a connector on said connector holding means, locating conductors in said conductor holding means, actuating said conductor insertion means to insert said conductors into said conductor receiving portions of said terminals in said connector, and energizing said test circuit means, the electrical connections between said conductors and said conductor-receiving means are tested in situ.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 said connector being of the type adapted to be coupled to a panel-like member such as a printed circuit board, said complementary connecting device comprising a printed circuit board.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said printed circuit board having printed circuit conductors thereon, said printed circuit conductors having contact portions which constitute said complementary contact portions.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, said conductor holding means comprising wire comb means on said frame means.
 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, said frame means comprising a static frame member and a carrier arm pivotally mounted on said static frame member, said printed circuit board being supported on said carrier arm.
 10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, said frame means comprising a static frame member and a carrier arm pivotally mounted on said static frame member, said conductor holding means comprising first and second wire combs on said static frame member and said carrier arm, said printed circuit board being pivotally mounted on said frame means and extending between said carrier arm and said static frame member, said carrier arm being pivotally movable between open and closed positions relative to said static frame member to permit placement of said connector on said printed circuit board when said carrier arm is in said open position and location of said connector in alignment with said insertion means when said carrier arm is in said closed condition.
 11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, said conductor insertion means being removably mounted on said frame means.
 12. Apparatus for inserting wires into the wire-receiving portions of eleCtrical contact terminals which are contained in an electrial connector and for testing said connectors after said wires are inserted, said wire-receiving portions being arranged in side-by-side relationship in a row, said apparatus comprising: frame means, connector holding means on said frame means for holding said connector in a predetermined position, wire locating means on said frame means, said wire locating comprising means for locating a plurality of wires in side-by-side parallel relationship and in alignment with said wire-receiving portions of contact terminals in a connector mounted on said connector holding means, insertion tooling means for inserting wires contained in said wire locating means into said wire receiving slots in said connectors, contacting means on said frame means, said contacting means being in electrical contact with said contact terminals in a connector mounted in said holding means, and test circuit means, said test circuit means being connected to said contacting means whereby, upon insertion of wires into said wire-receiving portions of terminals in a connector mounted on said connector holding means, the wired connector can be tested in situ.
 13. Electrical harness manufacturing and testing apparatus for manufacturing and testing an electrical harness of the type comprising a plurality of electrical connectors having conductors extending between and among terminals contained in said connectors said apparatus comprising: a plurality of connector jigs for holding connectors in positions, relative to each other, which they will occupy in the finished harness whereby harness conductors can be connected to the terminals in said connectors in accordance with the wiring plan of said harness, test circuit means comprising connecting means for removably connecting test circuit conductors to the individual terminals in connectors in said connector jigs whereby, after said harness conductors have been connected to said terminals, said test circuit means can be energized to test said harness for conformity to said wiring plan.
 14. Electrical harness manufacturing and testing apparatus for manufacturing and testing an electrical harness of the type comprising a plurality of electrical connectors and conductors extending between and among said connectors, said connectors having a plurality of electrical contact terminals therein, each of said terminals having a conductor receiving portion and a contact portion, said apparatus comprising; supporting means, a plurality jig members mounted on said supporting means at locations corresponding to the locations of the connectors in the harness being manufactured, each of said jig members having connector holding means and conductor holding and locating means for locating conductors in alignment with said conductor receiving portions of contact terminals in a connector mounted on said connector holding means, said connector holding means comprising a complementary connecting device which is mateable with one of said connectors, said complementary connecting device having external conductors which are engageable with said contact portions of said terminals in one of said connectors, and test circuit means for testing said harness, said external conductors comprising part of said test circuit means whereby, upon locating connectors on said connector holding means, locating conductors in said conductor holding means, and moving said conductors from said conductor holding means into said conductor-receiving portions of said terminals, said harness is assembled, and upon thereafter energizing said test circuit means, said harness is electrically tested.
 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, said supporting means comprising a harness board.
 16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said conductors in said harness comprising wires.
 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16, said conductor holding and locating means comprising wire comb meAns for holding wires in parallel side-by-side relationship.
 18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 each of said jig members having means for mounting an insertion tool thereon of the type capable of moving conductors from said conductor holding means and into the conductor-receiving portions of terminals contained in a connector held in said connector holding means. 